Snapdragon 8 Elite vs 8 Gen 3: What’s Really New & Should You Care?
Qualcomm’s flagship chips power the world’s most premium Android phones — and in 2025, two heavyweights are stealing the spotlight: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and the newer, more powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite.
But how different are they really? Is the Elite version just another marketing move, or is it worth the upgrade? If you're eyeing a flagship phone this year — Galaxy S25 Ultra, Xiaomi 15, OnePlus 13 — this deep dive will help you make the smart call.
đ What’s New with Snapdragon 8 Elite?
Let’s start with the basics: the Snapdragon 8 Elite isn’t just a Gen 3 refresh — it’s a major architectural leap. Qualcomm ditched ARM's stock cores and brought in its custom Oryon CPUs (yes, the same ones hyped in Snapdragon X Elite laptops). This means it’s not just faster — it’s built differently at the core.
⚙️ Performance Breakdown
đ§ CPU: Powerhouse vs Performer
Feature | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
---|---|---|
Cores | 2x Prime @ 4.32GHz (up to 4.47GHz Galaxy) 6x Performance @ 3.53GHz | 1x Cortex-X4 @ 3.3GHz 3+2 Cortex-A720 + 2 Cortex-A520 |
Process | 3nm (TSMC) | 4nm (TSMC) |
Geekbench | ~3,213 single / ~10,093 multi | ~2,213 single / ~6,652 multi |
CPU Gain | đŧ ~45% faster | ➖ Still fast |
✅ Takeaway: The Elite crushes Gen 3 in both single-core and multi-core performance. You’ll notice the difference in app load times, multitasking, and especially AI-heavy tasks.
đŽ GPU: Smoother, Smarter Gaming
Feature | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
---|---|---|
GPU | Adreno 830 (sliced, 1536 ALUs) | Adreno 750 (1536 ALUs) |
Ray Tracing | 35% improved | Good, but older gen |
Power Efficiency | 40% better than Gen 3 | Solid for 2024 |
✅ Takeaway: The 8 Elite is a gamer’s dream — more stable frame rates, better ray tracing, and cooler running if your device has good thermal management.
đ Battery Life vs Performance Tradeoff
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Snapdragon 8 Elite: Better power efficiency on paper — thanks to 3nm. But under heavy load (like gaming or video editing), it draws more power (up to 7.5W vs. 6.5W on Gen 3).
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Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: More stable in thermally-limited devices or smaller batteries (think 5000mAh vs 6000mAh).
✅ Takeaway: If you’re a casual user, Gen 3 is plenty efficient. If you push your phone to the edge (gaming, editing, AI), Elite gives you the muscle — but make sure your phone’s cooling system can handle it.
đ¤ AI & On-Device Intelligence
AI is becoming the battleground, and Qualcomm knows it.
Feature | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
---|---|---|
NPU | Hexagon upgraded | Hexagon (older gen) |
AI Speed | 45% faster | Great, but lags behind |
Token Limits | Higher, supports bigger models | Lower, less multimodal support |
✅ Takeaway: Expect better live translation, AI photo editing, and even on-device ChatGPT-style responses on Elite. Gen 3 is still solid, but not future-proof on the AI front.
đˇ Camera & Imaging Power
Feature | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
---|---|---|
Max Camera Support | 320MP | 200MP |
8K Video | Up to 60fps | Up to 30fps |
Real-Time Segmentation | Limitless | Up to 12 layers |
✅ Takeaway: The 8 Elite enables more advanced computational photography — great for pro-level camera phones.
đĄ Connectivity: Tie Game
Both chips support:
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Wi-Fi 7
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Bluetooth 5.4
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10Gbps 5G speeds
But the Elite packs the newer Snapdragon X80 modem (vs X75 on Gen 3), which may help with efficiency and signal handling in congested areas.
đĄ️ Thermals: Is It Hot or Not?
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8 Elite: Can hit 50°C under sustained loads — but good cooling in phones like Realme GT7 Pro keeps things in check.
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8 Gen 3: Runs cooler by default, making it better for thin, passively-cooled phones.
✅ Takeaway: Thermals depend heavily on device design. In a well-cooled phone? Go Elite. If you’re worried about overheating or battery drain? Stick with Gen 3.
đ Benchmarks at a Glance
Benchmark | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
---|---|---|
AnTuTu | ~2.75 million | ~2.02 million |
Geekbench 6 | 3,033 / 9,271 | 2,213 / 6,652 |
3DMark (Wild Life Extreme) | 6,311 (best) / 83.3% stability | Lower & less stable |
đ Who Should Buy What?
You Are... | Go With... |
---|---|
A Gamer | Snapdragon 8 Elite — better FPS, less lag, more future-proof |
Power User or Creator | Snapdragon 8 Elite — for AI tools, editing, multitasking |
Battery-Conscious or Casual User | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 — great balance of power & efficiency |
Looking for Value | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 — solid performance, likely cheaper phones |
đ Final Verdict: Elite vs Gen 3
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Snapdragon 8 Elite: A massive leap in performance and AI. Built for the next-gen Android experience. But you’ll need a flagship phone with great cooling and battery optimization to really enjoy it.
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Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Still incredibly capable. Perfect for users who want high-end power without pushing the limits (or the budget).
đŦ Thinking of upgrading your phone? Drop your use case (gaming, productivity, photography), and I’ll help you pick the best phone powered by either of these chips.